To most, I am no one special. I don’t have any special talents that might make me famous. I am not wealthy or have significant prestige. I wouldn’t win a beauty contest or other competition. I’m barely even findable on the world wide web. Can you relate? If so, do you know what that makes us? Perfect vessels to carry the Word of God to the rest of the world, as they are a lot like us. As looked at in Ambassador’s With a Message, God can use anyone, or anything, to “bring good news of great joy that will be for all the people” (Luke 2:10). As Christians, we all have the same message to give of God’s love and forgiveness, but sometimes throughout the Bible, there were specific people called to deliver specific messages.

In Luke 2, we are introduced to a group of people – shepherds – that were among the first to receive (and then spread) the message that the Messiah (Savior) had been born (Luke 2: 8-18). In Jewish tradition, there were very few Jewish people groups looked down on more than shepherds – lepers (diseased) and Samaritans (half-blood) being possible exceptions. This was largely due to their inability to keep all the ceremonial laws due to their occupation. When on a hillside, there may not be a place to wash properly before eating. They also had to work every day (including the Sabbath) as sheep and their predators don’t take a day off. So, they were consistently “unclean” and not even able to worship in the temple. That being the place that the very sheep they tended would be sacrificed. However, God bypassed the king, the religious leaders and even the wealthy and well connected to share the greatest news.

That reminds me of an anecdote: One day a group of scientists got together and decided that humanity had come a long way and no longer needed God. So they picked one scientist to go and tell Him that they were done with Him. The scientist walked up to God and said, “God, we’ve decided that we no longer need you. We’re to the point where we can clone people, manipulate atoms, build molecules, fly through space, and do many other miraculous things. So why don’t you just go away and mind your own business from now on?” God listened very patiently and kindly to the man. After the scientist was done talking, God said, “Very well. How about this? Before I go, let’s say we have a human-making contest.” To which the scientist replied, “Okay, we can handle that!” “But,” God added, “we’re going to do this just like I did back in the old days with Adam.” The scientist nodded, “Sure, no problem” and bent down and picked up a handful of dirt. God wagged a finger at him and said, “Uh, uh, uh. Put that down. You go find your own dirt.” (author unknown) Mankind has the need to start with something great and try to make it their own. Only God can take nothing and make it something great.

So while you may think there’s nothing special or interesting about you, know that God made you the way you are AND put you in the time and place you are for a purpose (Jeremiah 1; Romans 8:30). He can turn a no one into a witness of the Good News that the Messiah has come! After all, God can use a “nobody” like you because there truly is, nobody like you.